Skip Nav Destination
Smithsonian: Because of its vast expanses of snow-white terrain, Antarctica is one of the best places to look for meteorites. The upward flow of the ice moves meteorites to the surface and concentrates them in areas called meteorite-stranding zones. However, only a small percentage of those meteorites contain iron. In a recent study, Geoffrey Evatt of the University of Manchester and colleagues propose that it may take a little digging to find those iron meteorites. Through a combination of calculations and experiment, the researchers concluded that iron meteorites conduct heat from the Sun toward the ice below, causing the ice to melt and the meteorites to sink. Ground-penetrating radar or other advanced technology may be needed to find those elusive extraterrestrial visitors.
![]()
There may be more meteorites in Antarctica than meet the eye Free
17 February 2016